Car-truck



(No Model.) 4-Sheets-Sheet 1.

w. ROBINSON. UAR TRUCK.

No. 572,686. Patented Dec. 8, 18965 WITNESSES:

(No Model.) 4 shetssheet 2.

W. ROBINSON; GAR TRUCK.

Patented Dec. 8, 1896.

INVENTUR:

WITNE55E5= 4 SheetsF-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

w. ROBINSON.

GAR TRUCK.

Patented Dec. 8,1896.

INVENT BR.-

WITNE BEES:

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVENTDR':

(No Model.)

w. ROBINSON;

OARTRUGKE N0. 572,686; PatentedDec. 8, 1896.

WITNESSES:

ms Nonms s-z-rans co PHOTO-LITHO.WASHINGTDN. u. c

UNITED A STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ROBINSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,686, dated December 8, 1896.

Application filed March 7, 1894.

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Oar-Truck Especially Designed for Motor- Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The nature of my invention will be understood from the description which follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car-truck, illustrating the main. features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig.8 a side ele? vation, partly in section, of the bracing and trussing devices. Fig. 4 is a plan, and Fig. 5 a side elevation, of details of the brake mechanism. Fig. 6 is a top view of the jaw or saddle-brace, and Fig. 7 is a cross-section through the line .70 00, Fig. 1. Fig. Sis a side elevation, partly in section,of'one end of the truck, sh owing the invention somewhat more fully developed than inFig. 1. Fig. 9 is a side elevation showing a modification. Fig. 10 is a plan view of my improved truck, and Figs. 11, 12, and 13 show details of the motor-support. Fig. 1A is an enlarged side elevation of one end of my truck, partly in section, showing the main features of my invention clearly developed; and Fig. 15 is a side elevation showing an alternate form of the same. Fig. 16 is a side elevation of one end of a truck embodying my invention and showing alternate ways of constructing and applying certain parts of the mechanism, and Fig. 17 is a plan View of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A is a car-truck provided with the wheels (1- a and axles b b, journaled in the boxes 0 c in the usual manner.

The saddles B B straddle the boxes 0 c, as shown, and these saddles are connected by the beam or channel-bar O, which is preferably riveted to said saddles B B.

As the saddle B is an exact counterpart of the saddle B, it will be sufficient at present to specifically describe the saddle B with its Serial No. 502,745. (No model.)

tends a considerable distance beyond the box 0, is pivoted the lever D, as shown at e.

The springs g are supported on the inner end h of the saddle B, and the springs f are supported on one end of the lever D. The opposite end of the lever D is connected by links 11 to the casting or bracket 70, which latter is secured to the car-frame E by bolts.

The body-casting Z, provided With springcups 'm n, is also secured to the car-frame E, the spring-cups m covering the top of the springs f and the spring-cups or covering the top of the springs g. In the body-castingl are secured the upper ends of the pedestal or steady-posts p g, which, passing through the sockets or orifices 17 in the saddle B, limit and control the movement of the carbody E with reference to the truck. A.

The saddles B B are supported, respectively, on the heavy springs s s, which rest on the journal-boxes c c, as shown. As the saddles B B have their lower members connected by the heavy beam or channel 0, so the upper members of said saddles are connected by the truss-rods r.

The jaws u u of the saddle B are connected by the tie it, the projections I." of said tie lit-tin g tight between said jaws u u, and forming 'an abutment to keep said jaws apart when under pressure.

Ornitting f urtherdetails for the present, the mode of operation of this part of my invention is as follows: The box-Springs s 8 support the truck A as a whole on the boxes. Now suppose that the wheel a, for instance, meets with an obstruction, causing an abnormal compression of the box-spring s, or with a low joint, which allows the sudden expansion of said spring. In either case the spring 8 becomes an equalizer, and the shock from the wheel a, is substantially exhausted on'said spring and is thus prevented from reaching the car-body. Thus, it will be seen, the springs which support the truck A on the four journal-boxes become perfect equalizers for said truck as a Whole and absorb the shocks from the wheels before they reach said truck. The springs f g and f g, supported by the truck A, directly support the car-body E, as already described. teetering motion of the car-body E on said Now suppose an end springsfgf g is attempted, assuming that the end F of the car-body is the end to descend first. Now it will be observed that when the end F of the car-body attempts to descend it carries down with it the end '2) of the lever D, and this movement of course raises the opposite end 1; of said lever D, together with the spring-seat w, attached to said lever and forming a seat for the bottom of the springs f. This movement of the lever D, it is evident, compresses the springs f from the bottom, the bottom compression of said springs being atleast as great as the top compression produced by the direct weight of the car-body resting on the top of the same. Thus the upward pressure applied to the bottom of the springs f offers sufficient resistance to practically prevent the descent of the end F of the car-body, that is, to prevent teetering. The relative upward and downward pressure applied to the springs f depends on the relative lengths of the ends '7) and c of the lever D and may therefore be regulated or established at pleasure.

Another important point will be noticed here. It is evident that in teetering when one end of the car descends the opposite end rises. Now suppose that in teetering F is the descending and F the rising end of the carbody E. As soon as the end F starts to rise it carries up with it the end Q22 of the lever D, fulcrumed at e in the saddle B, thus lowering the opposite end '0 of said lever. This movement of course removes support from the springs f, and these springs therefore cease to support the car-body or to reinforce the upward movement of the end F thereof. As a consequence the end F of the car-body cannot rise. Thus we see that by this peculiar arrangement of levers and springs the carbody is prevented from either descending or risin g at either end in dependently,from which it is evident that teetering is altogether obviated or at least reduced to a minimum.

In Figs. 1, 8, and 14 the springs f are placed at the inner end of the lever D, that is, at the end toward the journal-box. In Fig. 15, however, which shows an alternate form, the

springs are placed at the outer end of said lever, the inner end being flexibly connected to the car-body by the links 1', as shown. Either of these arrangements may be used, as found most advantageous under the particular conditions where used.

In Fig. 14 the top of the spring f butts against the shelf f of the saddle B. The rod a pivotally connected to the lever D, passes through said shelf and spring. The nut c on the lower end of said rod presses the spring-cup 19 against the bottom of said spring Thus when the inner end 1: of the lever D rises the spring f is compressed from the bottom, theupper end of said spring f remaining fixed with reference to the saddle B.

It will be observed that the springf may be used to reinforce the resistance of the springs f, or it may, in certain circumstances, be used independently of the springs f, the action of the two sets of springs being similar. I prefer, however, to use both sets of springs f f together. The arrangement of these springs f f with reference to the lever D is such that the normal weight of that portion of the car and its load supported by said lever may be carried substantially by the springs f under all ordinary conditions, the tension of the springs f however, being so adjusted, by means of the nuts 0 as to take little or none of the normal load, but so that when the load becomes abnormal, or the pressure on the springs f is unduly increased for any reason, the rising of the end 0 of the lever D will apply a gradually-increasin g pressure to the springs f in the manner already described. This resistance of the springs f of course diminishes the upward movement of the end c of the lever D and consequently the downward movement of the end '1; of said lever. Thus the pressure is diminished at both ends of the springs f. That is, a portion of the pressure which would otherwise come upon the springs f is distributed to the springs f and the springs fare consequently relieved of just so much of the load as is taken by the springs f It is evident, therefore, that by this arrangement we have a perfectly-graduated system of springs.

In Fig. 8 the spring-cup w, pivoted to the lever D, is provided with spring-seats both at its top and bottom, and the spring-cup e in the saddle B forms a spring-seat for the bottom of the spring f the casting w forming a seat for the top of said spring f By this arrangement of springs the lever D is kept in a steady position, even when the car-body is off the truck, and the pressure on the bottom of the springs f is reinforced by the upward pressure of the springs f As shown in Fig. 9, both ends of the lever D support the springs f and 71. the car-body E resting on both sets of these springs. This construction forms a very fine equalizing arrangement; but I prefer, in general, the arrangement already described, in which one end of the lever is flexibly connected to the car-body and the other end supports springs on which the car-body rests.

Referring now to matters of detail, the lower ends of the posts 19 q p g are bound or braced together by the brace t the lower ends of said posts being formed with shoulders, preferably beveled, as shown at 72 Fig. 3. The ends of these posts pass through holes in said brace "i and the nuts r screwed on the ends of said posts, keep said brace i firmly in position.

My improved method of bracing and trussing is shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 8. In this case I use the casting Z having its outer end provided with the socket or projection 3 which forms a bearing for the end of the truss-pipe 75 which trusses up the end of the car.

IIO

The casting Z is provided with a beveled orifice in which the beveled end of the post 19 fits, as shown at M, and the nut 1* holds the brace i securely inposition on said post. The brace m is independently secured to the casting Z by the bolt 1?, while the upperend of said brace m is secured to the car-body preferably at a pointbetween the center line of the car and the outside sill, as shown at Q02. The brace m*, the casting Z and the brace 2' are securelyfastened together by the bolt and the nut v The lower end of the brace m is bifurcated and clasps the sides of the post p, as shownat (2*, Fig. 2, thus the better insuring proper alinement of the parts. By this construction of parts the following advantages are secured: First, by removing the bolts a the brace m may be removed without disturbing the brace i or truss 70 The convenient'removal and restoration of the brace m is necessary in fitting it to the car under which the truck may be placed. Second, by leaving the bolt undis-' turbed and removing the nuts 0' 1)? the brace 2' may be removed without disturbing the body-brace m or the truss-bar k which, together with the post p, mutually support each other in place until the brace i is restored. It is often necessary to remove the brace i in order to remove the journal-box or wheels.

It will be noticed that the truss-bars 10 76, with the brace '6 and the posts p, q, 11 and g form an efiective truss for supporting the overhanging ends of cars, especially open cars, which cannot be properly trussed above the sills, and the upper braces m effectually prevent the bending or loosening of the posts p q p g by any side-swinging pressure of the car.

The brake-hanger support 19*, secured to.

the end channel-bar K, is provided with two bearing-points f g, in which the brakehanger 61 may be pivoted. The object of this arrangement isto adapt the truck to use conveniently wheels of different sizes. For instance, in the scale used in the drawings a thirty-inch wheel is shown. WVhen, however, it is desired to use a thirty-three-inch wheel in the same truck the brake-hanger d is moved back and pivoted at 9 instead of at f This carries the brake-hanger d? and brake 6 back the proper distance, as shown in dotted outline. This is a great convenience and a considerable saving in expense in truckbu'ilding.

H is a motor having one end supported by the axle b in any usual or suitable manner, said motor being arranged to drive the truck and car. The opposite end of the motor is supported by the arch-bar I, which is secured to said motor either rigidly or flexibly near the center of said bar. The arch-bar I is placed edge upward, and its ends are turned in a vertical plane, so as to form the vertical loop or orifice shown at Z The chair h secured to the side bar 0 of V the truck-frame, supports the spring-cushion m on which rests the spring-cup 19 The end of the arch-bar I is placed between the spring-cups p and 0 and upon the latter is placed the spring-cushion 11. The whole is flexibly bound together by the bolt g Thus the free end of the motor is permitted to have a flexible up-and-down movement on spring-cushions, and within certain limits the arch-bar I is free to move on the spring-cush- I free movement of the end 1; of the lever D in the arc of a circle without binding orstrain.

In Fig. 16, instead of the links t','the sliding block 7*, movable in the slot 3 of the lever D, is used. As the end of the lever in this case moves in the arc of. a circle the slotted portion moves back and forth on the sliding block 0*, which is pivoted in the bracket i The flexibility of the springs f and of. the lower spring-seat w affords sufficient compensation for the movement of the spring-supporting end of the lever without makingany special provision therefor.

In Fig. 16, instead of placing the saddlesupporting springs on top of the j ournal-box, as in the other figures, the springs a* 17* are supported by the side lugs d* 6* of the box 0*. These springs support the saddle 13*, as shown. This arrangement of springs allows the car-body to be carried somewhat lower when that is a desideratum. In Fig..l6 also the bracket D*, which forms a fulcrum-support for the lever D, is riveted to the saddle 13*, as shown, instead of being a part of the casting forming said saddle, as in the other figures.

The inside springs g and g, while desirable and advantageous in many cases, are nevertheless not indispensable. When desired,

these springs may be dispensed with and the whole weight of the car be taken care of by the outside springs supported on the levers, as already described.

When the weight of the car comes upon the levers D D, the leverage tends to compress endwise the lower side channel C,which to a portion of the truck extended outwardly beyond the journal-box, said lever having one end flexibly connected to the main frame or car-body and the other end supporting a spring or springs interposed between the end of said lever and said main frame or car-body, said spring forming the only spring connection between said lever and car-body, substantially as described.

. 2. Inacar-truck,aleverpivotally connected to a portion of the truck-frame extended outwardly beyond the j ourn al-box, said lever having one end flexibly connected to the car-body or main frame by means of a link and the other end arranged to exert an upward compression on the bottom of a spring or springs, said upward compression being caused and controlled by the vertical pressure of the car-body or main frame on the flexibly-connected end of said lever, substantially as described.

3. In a car-truck,a lever pivotally connected to a portion of the truck-frame, said lever having one end flexibly connected to the car-body or main frame by means of alink and the other end supporting a spring or springs interposed between the end of said lever and said car body or main frame, substantially as described.

4. In a car-truck, the combination, substantially as described, of levers pivotally con nected to saddles or portions of the truckframe extending outwardly beyond the journal-boxes, the whole length of said levers being outside of the line of said journal-boxes, and the car-body or main frame flexibly sup ported by said levers, springs being interposed between said carbody and one end only of said levers.

5. In a car-truck, levers having fulcrumbearings located outwardly beyond the journal-boxes, said levers having one end flexibly connected to the car-body or main frame and the opposite ends located vertically between two sets of springs and controlling the compression of the same, the opposite ends of said springs having bearings against portions of the truck or car-body, substantially as described.

(5. In a car-truck, levers having fulcrumbearings on the truck, and having one end connected flexibly to the car-body or main frame and the opposite ends provided with two sets of springs, one set above and one below said levers, one set of said springs being arranged to support the car under its normal load, and the other set to come into play to reinforce the resistance of the first, with a gradually-increasing pressure, as the load is abnormally increased, substantially as described.

7. In a car-truck, levers having fulcrumbearings located outwardly beyond the jourrial-boxes, said levers having one end connected flexibly to the car-body or main frame and the opposite ends provided with two sets of springs, one set of said springs being arranged to support the car with its normal load, and the other set to be brought into play to reinforce the first, with a graduallyincreasi-ng resistance, as the load becomes excessive, substantially as described.

8. In a car-truck, the combination, substantially as described, of the saddle or frame B straddling the journal-box, the lever D, having a fulcrum-bearing toward the outer end of said saddle, one end of said lever being flexibly connected to the main frame E, springs f interposed between the opposite end of said lever and said main frame E, said springs f forming the sole spring-support between said lever and said main frame E and springs g interposed between the truckframe and said main frame E at the opposite side of the journal-box from said lever D.

9. In combination, substantially as described, the truck-frame supported on equalizing-springs interposed between said frame and the journal-boxes, said frame being provided with fulcrum-bearings toward its outer ends, levers fulcrumed in said bearings and having one end flexibly connected to the carbody or main frame, springs having their compression under control of the opposite ends of said levers and affording the sole spring connection between said levers and said car-body or main frame, and pedestalposts rigidly connected to said main frame and movably engaging said truck-frame.

10. In a car-truck the brake-hanger support constructed with two bearing points adapted to allow the brake-hanger to be supported thereon at different distances from the axle center, substantially as described.

11. The combination, substantially as described, of the pedestal-postp, the truss-casting Z having one end fitted to the bottom of said post and the outer end provided with a socket or projection affording an abutment for the end of the truss-bar W, and the tiebrace i secured to said post p and casting Z by means of the nut r on the lower end of said post, said tie-brace 2' being placed below said truss-casting Z and further secured thereto by means of the bolt a passing through said tie-brace and truss-casting near the outer end of each.

12. The combination, substantially as described, of the pedestal-postp, the truss-casting Z having one end fitted to the bottom of said post and the other end forming an abutment for the end of the truss-bar and the body-brace m secured to said truss-casting, independently, by the bolt i 13. The combination, substantially as described, of the pedestal-post p, the truss-casting Z having one end fitted to the bottom of said post and the other end forming an abutment for the end of the truss-bark the bodybrace m placed above said casting Z and secured thereto independently by the bolt 25 and tie-brace i placed on the post 12 below said truss-casting Z said post p, tie-brace i ends of said bar around into the form of loops, substantially as described.

WVILLIAM ROBINSON.

v Witnesses:

J AS. W. RIPLEY, F. O. SANBORN. 

